Activities and organisations will have big challenges getting back
WHEN local organisations, many providing vital charitable, social and sporting activities for hundreds, if not thousands of people in Dundalk and throughout the country, read the precautions that have to take before re-opening their premises, they are asking: ‘is it worth the effort’?
In addition many of the organisations who survive on limited funds face the considerable expense involved in implementing the social distancing measures needed by way of physical structures, sanitizer, and other measures before they can open their doors.
No wonder there is a growing feeling that COVID-19 could mean the death knell for some of these valued organisations who provide much needed activities, especially for the elderly, that are essential for their mental well being.
Take Bridge as an example.
In Dundalk there are a number of clubs, including a Bridge Centre on the Ramparts, that in pre- COVID times, was occupied almost every mid-week night by those who love the game.
The Centre hasn’t opened since the lockdown in March, and most players cannot see how social distancing can be maintained by four people round a card table, all of whom will be handling the same deck of cards and in a very confined environment.
Another recreational activity, enjoyed by many, is the senior citizens clubs, such as Active Retirement.
Here again, social distancing would be difficult by those engaged in some of their activities, such as choirs, yoga, dancing or a table quiz.
Some concerns, like the Men’s Sheds, which reopened yesterday, have been able to manage some limited activities, but here again a number of popular activities have had to be abandoned.
Other groups, or organisations, who are involved in providing essential support in our community, such as charitable bodies, have not been able to resume meetings or hold fundraising events.
Organisations like the St. Vincent de Paul who, while maintaining only restricted support to families in need because their volunteers are unable to visit homes, had planned to resume their church gate collections last Sunday, but fears that surfaced over social distancing and other worries, meant that the collections had to be delayed for a month.
All of these organisations are a vital element in every caring community, and while some thrive on their charitable work, others provide a very necessary recreational outlet for townspeople.
Picture Ken Finegan/Newspics
The worrying aspect of all of this is the thought that it will be virtually impossible for some of these organisations to re-start their activities until a vaccine is discovered.
By then it may be impossible to find sufficient volunteers to become involved again, for it is perfectly understandable that those in the vulnerable age group will be reluctant to mix freely at public gatherings, or to provide the leadership in organisations to the extent that they were previously engaged.
The sincere hope is that when this awful year finally ends that the emergence of a vaccine will give all the confidence to get involved in organisations and activities that are the lifeblood of any community.
Of course the clamour will be for more financial support for these organisations from the government to overcome any financial outlay in making their premises safer, but there is a limit by which the government can support every sector of society.
For that reason we must all do our part in encouraging these groups and organisations to try and find a way to reopen and to lend any practical and financial assistance we can.
We value these organisations, and more importantly their contribution, and must continue to show that support when, and if, we are asked.